Shock absorbing mechanism



A.' E. DENrLER rsHocx ABsonBING MEcHANIsM y Deve. l, 1942.

Filed May 8, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1y 30 kie 29 Dec. 1, 1942.

A. E. DENTLER SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed May a. 1941 :s sheets-sheet '2 De.1,1942. AEDNTLR 2,303,915

SHOCK ABSORBING MEGHANI SM Filed May 8, 1941 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l Inventar' y f'rzolaenter Hilf/'- Patented Dec. 1, 1942 SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Arnold E. Dentler, Hinsdale, Ill.,` assignor to lW. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application May 8, 1941, Serial No. 392,506

(Cl. Z13- 4.7)

1l Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing mechanism especially adapted for draft riggings of railway cars, comprising cushioning means of resilient material arranged in units for tandem actuation in both buff and draft, wherein the units are under predetermined initial compression, and one of said units is permitted to expand during initial draft action and the other unit is permitted to expand during initial buffing action, thereby to effect unloading action of either of said units during the initial actuation of the mechanism while the other of said units is being compressed.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing mechanism comprising front and rear resilient cushioning units adapted to be compressed in tandem in rboth buff and draft action of a railway draft rigging, wherein the units are actuated by movement of a yoke actuated by the car coupler, the yoke being divided by a central thimble into front and rear pockets, respectively, containing the units and cooperating end followers with which each unit is provided, the end followers cooperating with front and rear -main and front and rear intermediate stops, and

the parts being so proportioned that under normal conditions the two units are held under initial compression between the ends of the yoke and the intermediate stops by the associated end followers with a certain predetermined amount of clearance between the yoke thimble and the end followers immediately adjacent thereto, whereby when the yoke is moved inwardly in bui the front cushioning-unit is compressed against the corresponding intermediate stop during the entire compression stroke and the rear unit is permitted to initially expand or unload, followed by tandem compression of said rear unit in unison with the front unit between the end followers thereof by the rear follower being arrested through engagement with the rear end stop of the rigging and the front follower thereof being engaged by the yoke thimble and moved rearwardly with said yoke, and when the yoke is moved forwardly or outwardly in draft the rear cushioning unit is compressed against the corresponding intermediate stop during the entire compression stroke and the front unit is permitted to initially expand or unload, followed by tandem compression thereof in unison with the rear unit, between the end followers of said front unit through the front follower thereof being arrested by engagement with the front main stop of the rigging and the rear follower thereof being engaged by the yoke thimble and moved forwardly with said yoke.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specication, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a portion of the underframe structure at oneend of a railway oar, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, said view corresponding substantially to the line I-I of Figure 2. Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the parts in somewhat different 'position and illustrating the initial bufng action of the mechanism. Figurefl is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the position ofthe parts at the end of the bufl'ng stroke of the mechanism. Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the parts in somewhat diierent position and illustrating the initial draft action of the mechanism. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the position of the parts at the end of the draft stroke of the mechanism. Y

In said drawings III-I0 indicate the longitudinally extending center or draft sills of a railway car underframe structure.

In carrying out my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, I provide side castings II-II on the inner sides of the draft sills. The castings I I--II are of the usual tandem type and have front and rear main stop shoulders I2 and I3, intermediate main stop shoulders I4 and I5, and two sets of limiting stop shoulders IB-IG and I'I-I 1. These castings being of well-known form need no further detailed description. They are secured to the inner sides of the draft sills with the corresponding stop shoulders thereof in transverse alignment. The usual coupler of the railway draft rigging, the innelI end of the shank of which only is shown, is indicated by IB.l The yoke I9 is operatively connected to the coupler. The yoke I9 is of the tandem type having top and bottom longitudinally extending arms 2li-20 connected at their rear ends by a vertical end section 2I. At the forward ends the arms 20-20 are thickened, as indicated at 22-22, to provide the head of the yoke to which the coupler shank I8 is connected. kBetween the ends thereof the yoke is provided with a vertical thimble portion or partition wall 23, preferably fo-rmed integral with the arms 2li- 20. The thimble 23 divides the yoke into 'front and rear pockets 24-24 which are adapted to accommodate the cushioning means. The inner end of the coupler shank I8 is swiveled for horizontal swinging movement between the.

thickened ends 22-22 of the arms 20-20 by va vertical bolt 25 extending through aligned openings in the coupler shank and said enlargements of the arms. Y

As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the butt of the coupler shank projects slightly inwardly of the front wall of the front pocket 24 of the yoke. Although the coupler butt is shown as thus projecting, this is not absolutely essential because it is within the scope of the invention to make the butt flush with the inner surface of the front wall of the front pocket 24 `of the yoke. However, by providing the projecting coupler `butt the connecting bolt 25 is protected against shearing when the mechanism is actuated in buff, the forces being transmitted directly to the front cushioning unit.

Each cushioning unit .comprises inner and outer coil springs 26 and I-2.1,placed betweenfollower plates. Two such cushioning units are employed, each provided with two follower plates bearing on the front and rear ends-of the springs 26 and 21 of said unit. These follower .plates are indicated by 29-29 and Sii- 30, the plates 29-'-29 being the outer'main followers at the front and yrear endsof the yokeandthe plates 30-39 being intermediate followers located at opposite sides of the thimble 23 of the yoke. The follower plates 29-29 and '3Q-3i! vextend beyond opposite sides of the yoke and vride on horizontally-disposed supporting .plates 3l-3| secured to the underneath faces of the side castings I I-II. The usual carrier irons 32-'32, which yare secured to the underneath surfaces of the vsills I-I'0 lunderlie the yoke I`9and serve1as `guides for the latter.

The stop shoulders of the `side castings I I-I I are spaced apart llengthwise of the rigging the standard-distance employed in tandem side castings but the distance from the front end wall of the front yoke pocket 24 to the 'rear end wall o'f the rear yoke pocket 24 is less than that of standard tandem yokes, thereby providing clearance at opposite 'ends of the vmechanism between fthe Afront and rear main followers 29--29 and the corresponding main stopshoulders I2 and I3 of the rigging. The yoke thimble '23 is also of lesser thickness in a direction lengthwise of the yoke Ithan the standard thimble, thereby, in the normal position of the parts, providing a certain :amount of clearance between the same and the intermediate followers Sli- 30, yas shown in Figure l.

The springs V25 and 21 of each cushioning unit are .placed under initial vcompression when assembled within the yoke with the front and rear followers of the unit bearing Von the end walls of the corresponding pocket. In this connection it fis 'pointed out that while 'the 'front main follower 29, as shown in the drawings, bears on the inner end of the `coupler shank "I8, this is not v'absolutely essential and vit may bear directly on the front end wall of the pocket. The arrange- Yment shown `is preferable because, as 'hereinbefore pointed out, `in 4buff the forces are transmitted directly through the coupler Vshank tothe frontmain follower29 of the rigging, thereby relieving the bo'lt 25 from 'shearing strains.

To facilitate `ready assembly 'of the yoke Abe- =tweenthe vsills of the draft rigging, the springs 2B and 21 of each unit are placed under additional compression'by spacer blocks, 4not shown, which are temporarily inserted between the thimble r23 of the'yoke and the intermediate followers 3ft-30 to shorten the distance Ibetween the 'followers `-29 and 3l) of each unit and space the intermediate followers 30-3'9 a sufcient distance apart that they will :clear the front and rear faces of the intermediate stop shoulders I4 Aand I5 so as to pass freely thereover when placing the gear on the car. During the first actuation of the mechanism the blocks will dropout due to shortening of the springs of the front and rear cushioning units under compression.

In rthe normal position of the parts as shown `as follows:

in Figure l, the intermediate followers engage kthe .intermediate stop shoulders and the expansive tendency of the springs holds the yoke centered with the front and rear main followers 29-29 spaced from the front and rear main stop shoulders I2 and I3 and the yoke thimble 23 spaced 'from 'the intermediate followers.

The operation of my improved mechanism is Assuming a buff-lng or pushing force applied to the coupler, the yoke I9 is moved inwardly of the car, or from left to right as viewed in Figure 1, thereby forcing the front main follower 29 rearwardly and compressing the springs 25 and 21 of the front cushioning unit against the front intermediate follower :3U vwhichis held stationary at this time by `engagement with the I"front intermediate .stop shoulders Ill-I4. ,Dur-

ing this action the springs 26 and 21 of therear unit, which are under initial compression, vexpand or unload, forcing the rear main follower 29 which bears on the rear wall of the rear -yoke pocket, to follow the yoke in its rearward movement, the rear intermediate follower 35)' being held stationary by the rear intermediate stop shoulders I5-I5 on which it bears. This action continues until the parts reach the position shown in Figure 3, when the rear main follower 29 seats on the rear stop lugs I3-I3 and the rear .intermediate follower 30 is engaged by the yoke thimble 23. In this position, as shown in Figure 3, the rear cushioning unit has reached its .limit of unloading action. Upon further movement of lthe yoke in buff, the springs of the front and rear cushioning units are compressed in tandem, the springs of the front unit being further compressed between the front main follower 29 and the front intermedi-ate follower 39, and the springs of the rear unit being ycompressed between the rear intermediate follower k3i! and the rear main follower I29, the latter being held stationary by engagement with the rear main stop shoulders I3-I3 while the rear intermediate follower 30 is forced rearwardly by engagement of the yoke thimble 23 therewith. This action continues until compression of the springs of both units is limited by movement of the yoke I9 being stopped by eng-agement of the front main follower 29 with the front limiting stops `Iii- 16, as shown in Figure 4. Upon the actuating force being reduced, the expansive action of the springs of the front and rear units returns vthese parts to the normal full release position shown in Figure 1.

Assuming a draft or pulling force .applied to the -ccupler I8, the yoke I9 is pulled forwardly -or outwardly of the car or from right to left, as

viewed in Figure 1, thereby forcing .the rear main follower 29 forwardly and compressing the springs 26 and 21 of the rear cushioning unit -against the rear intermediate follower 30 -which at this time is held stationary by engagement with the rear intermediate stop shoulders I5I5. During this action, the springs 25 and 21 of the front unit, which were under initial compression, expand .or

unload, forcing the front main follower 29, which bears on the rear end of the coupler shank, to follow the yoke in its forward movement, the front intermediate follower 39 being held stationary by the front intermediate stops Ill-I4 on which it bears. This action 4continues until the parts reach the position shown in Figure 5, when the front main follower 29 seats on the front main stop lugs I2-I2 and the front intermediate follower '39 is engaged by the yoke thimble .23. In the position shown in Figure 5, the front=cushion ing unit has'reached itsflimit of unloading action.

po'n frther movement of the yoke in draft, the

springs of the rear and front cushioning units are compressed in tandem, the springs of the rear unit being further compressed between the rear main follower 29 and the rear intermediate follower 30, and the springs of the front unit being compressed between the front intermediate follower 30 and the front main follower 29, the latter being held stationary by engagement with the front main stops I2-I2 while the front intermediate follower 30 is forced forwardly by engagement of the yoke thimble 23 therewith. This action continues until compression of the springs of both units is limited by movement of the yoke I9 being arrested through engagement of the rear vmain follower 29 with the rear limiting stops Il-l'l, as shown in Figure 6. Upon the actuating force being reduced, the expansive action of the springs of the front and rear units returns the parts to the normal full release position shown in Figure 1.

From the preceding description taken in connection with the drawings, it will be evident that I have provided a simple and eiiicient mechanism for cushioning draft and bumng shocks without I contemplate all changes and modifications that 5 come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

i I claim:

1 In a draft rigging for railway cars, the cornbination with front and rear main stops and "am front and rear intermediate stops on the car, said intermediate stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car and said front kand rear main stops being spaced apart a predetermined distance from said intermediate stops; of a lengthwise movable column member having front and rear inwardly facing abutments, and forwardly and rearwardly facing intermediate abutments, the spacing between said intermediate abutments being different from the spacing between said intermediate stops, the spacing between each intermediate abutment and the abutment at the corresponding end of the column being at least as y great as the spacing between said main and intermediate stops; and a cushioning unit interposed between each intermediate abutment and the abutment at the corresponding end of the column and being adapted for cooperation with the corresponding main and intermediate stops.

2. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with front and rear main stops, and front and rear intermediate stop-s on the car, said intermediate stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car and said front and rear main stops being spaced a predetermined distance from said intermediate stops; of a lengthwise movable yoke having front and rear pockets, said pockets being spaced apart lengthwise of the yoke a distance different from the spacing of said intermediate stops, each of said pockets being of a length at least as great as the spacing between said main and intermediate stops; and a cushioning unit in each pocket including a spring resistance under initial compression, and a pair of followers at opposite ends of the spring being adapted for cooperation with the corresponding main and intermediate stops.

3. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with front and rear main stops, and front and rearv intermediate stops, said intermediate stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car, said front and rear main stops being spaced a predetermined distance from said intermediate stops; of a lengthwise movable yoke having front and rear pockets spaced apart lengthwise of the yoke a distance different from the spacing oi said intermediate stops, said pockets being of equal length respectively with the spacing between the corresponding main and intermediate stops; and a cushioning unit in each pocketinjcluding a yielding resistance means under initial compression, and a pair of followers at opposite ends of said resistance means being adapted for cooperation with the corresponding main and intermediate stops.

4. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with front and rear main stops, and front and rear longitudinally spaced intermediate stops on the car; of a lengthwise movable yoke having front and rear longitudinally spaced pockets, the spacing between said pockets being less than the spacing between said intermediate stops, and the distance between the front end of the front pocket and the rear end of the rear pocket being less than the distance between said front and rear main stops; and a cushioning unit in each pocket of the yoke, each unit including a spring resistance under initial compression and followers at opposite ends 0f the spring resistance being adapted for cooperation with the corresponding main and intermediate stops.

5. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with front and rear main stops, and front and rear intermediate stops on the car, said intermediate stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car and said front and rear main stops being spaced a predetermined distance forwardly and rearwardly from said intermediate stops; of a lengthwise movable pressure transmitting column having front and rear pockets, said pockets being spaced apart lengthwise of the column a distance different from the spacing between said intermediate stops, each of said pockets being of a length at least as great as the spacing between said main and intermediate stops; and a cushioning unit in each pocket including a resilient member under initial compression, and a pair of followers at opposite ends of said resilient member being adapted for cooperation with the corresponding main and intermediate stops.

6. In a railway car draft rigging, the combination with front and rear main stops, and intermediate stops on the car, said intermediate stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car, and said front and rear stops being spaced forwardly and rearwardly from said intermediate stops; of a tandem yoke having front and rear pockets, said pockets each being of a length not greater than the spacing of said front and rear stops respectively from the intermediate stops, said front and rear pockets being spaced apart a distance less than the spacing between said intermediate stops; and cushioning means within each pocket, each cushioning means including resilient means and end followers cooperating therewith and adapted for cooperation with the corresponding main and intermediate stops.

7. In a draft rigging for railway cars7 the combination with: front and rear main stops and front and rear intermediate stops, said intermediate stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car, said front and rear main stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car a distance greater than the intermediate stops; of a tandem yoke having front and rear pockets, the distance from the front end of the front pocket to the rear end of the rear pocket being less than the spacing between said front and rear main stops, and said rear pocket being spaced from said front pocket a distance less than the spacing between said intermediate stops; and cushioning means within each pocket including followers at opposite ends of said pockets and resilient means interposed between said followers, said followers being interposed between the corresponding main and intermediate stops.

8. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with front and rear main stops spaced apart lengthwise of the car a predetermined distance and front and rear intermediate stops spaced apart lengthwise of the car; of a tandem yoke having front and rear pockets separated by a central thimble portion, the distance from the front end of the front pocket to the rear end of the rear pocket being less than the distance between said front and rear main stops, and said thimble being of lesser thickness lengthwise of the car than the spacing between said intermediate stops; a set of inner and outer followers interposed between the front main and front intermediate stops and a second set of inner and outer followers interposed between the rear main and rear intermediate stops, said sets of followers being disposed respectively in the front and intermediate stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the car and normally engaged respectively by the follower plate engaging the rear end of the resilient element of the front unit and the follower plate engaging the front end of the resilient element of the rear unit, the spacing between said intermediate stops being greater than the distance between said yoke pockets, thereby providing clearance between said last named follower plates and the rear end of the front pocket and the front end of the rear pocket, said front and rear main stops being positioned to be spaced from said follower plates, respectively engaging the front end of the front resilient unit and the rear end of the rear resilient unit, when the parts are in said normal position; and front and rear limiting stops for limiting rearward movement of the follower plate engaging the front end of the front resilient element and forward movement of the follower plate engaging the rear end of the rear resilient element, said front limiting stop in the normal position of the parts being spaced from said follower plate at the front end of the front resilient element a distance greater than the clearance between the follower plate at the front end of the rear resilient element and the front end of the rear pocket of the yoke, and said rear limiting stop, in the normal position of the parts, being spaced from said follower plate at the rear end of the rear resilient ele- -ly spaced from said ment a distance greater than the clearance between the follower plate at the rear end of the front resilient element and the rear end of the front pocket of the yoke.

10. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with a longitudinally movable pressure transmitting column member having front and rear inwardly facing abutments, and forwardly and rearwardly facing spaced intermediate abutments; of front and rear resilient units; front and rear main followers and front and rear intermediate followers, said front resilient unit being interposed between said front main and front intermediate followers, said front main and front intermediate followers being interposed between said front abutment and forwardly facing intermediate abutment of the pressure transmitting column, said rear resilient unit being interposed between said rear intermediate and rear main followers, and said rear intermediate and rear main followers being interposed between said rearwardly facing intermediate abutment and said rear abutment of said pressure transmitting column; and front and rear main, front and rear intermediate, and front and rear limiting stops on the car, said front and rear main stops being adapted for cooperation with said front and rear main followers to limit outward movement thereof, said main stops being spaced apart a distance greater than the distance between said front and rear abutments of the column member, said front and rear intermediate stops limiting movement of said front and rear intermediate followers toward each other to hold the front and rear resilient units normally under initial compression, said intermediate stops being spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing between said intermediate abutments of the column member, said limiting stops limiting inward movement of the front and rear main followers to limit movement of the column member in both buff and draft.

l1. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with front and rear main stops and front and rear intermediate stops on the car; of front and rear main and front and rear intermediate followers; a pressure transmitting column member having front and rear inwardly facing abutments engageable with said front and rear main followers and forwardly and rearwardly facing intermediate abutments engageable with said intermediate followers; front springs yieldingly resisting relative approach of said front main and front intermediate followers; rear springs yieldingly resisting relative approach of said rear main and rear intermediate followers, said front and rear springs being normally under initial compression and holding lsaid intermediate followers seated on said intermediate -stops and said main followers seated on said front and rear abutments of the column member to hold said column member yieldingly centered, said front and rear main stops being spaced apart lengthwise of the mechanism a greater distance than the front and rear abutments of the column member, and said intermediate abutments of said column member being closer together than said intermediate stops and normalintermediate followers, whereby when said column member is actuated in either direction lengthwise, one of said springs is compressed while the other spring is unloaded during initial action of the mechanism, followed by compression of both springs in tandem.

" ARNOLD E. DENTLER. 

